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James Essig Named NYPD Chief Of Detectives

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The NYPD has a new chief of detectives.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced Friday Assistant Chief James Essig succeeds Rodney Harrison as chief of detectives. Harrison has since become chief of department.

Essig, a native New Yorker who was born in Jamaica, Queens, has spent 38 years with the NYPD.

"Chief Essig's commitment to the public good, and his vision for fair, effective policing, has seen our city through to its historic crime reductions," said Shea. "His experience makes him uniquely suited to carry on the department's work in fighting violent crime. I am proud to announce his promotion to chief of detectives."

"Throughout my career, my goal has always been to serve New Yorkers, to build ties between communities and their police and to prevent people from being victims of crime," Essig said. "My philosophy was – and remains – that if you are one of the few individuals who endanger our communities by carrying an illegal gun, firing one or using a gun to harm another person, you are our focus."

He called his promotion a "tremendous honor."

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